AAR reports carload and intermodal declines for week ending January 11

TheAssociation of American Railroads(AAR) reported this week that carload and intermodal volumes were both down for the week ending January 11.

Carloads—at 256,849—were down 8.2 percent annually and topped the week ending January 4 at 246,846 and the week ending December 28 at 230,293

Intermodal—at 235,987 trailers and containers—was down 6.7 percent compared to the same week last year and was ahead of the weeks ending January 4 and December 28 at 186,878 and 172,396, respectively.

Of the ten main commodity groups tracked by the AAR, two saw annual increases for the week ending January 11.

Grain was up 10.1 percent or 20,367 carloads. Motor vehicles and parts were down 22.5 percent or 11,051 carloads

For the first two weeks of 2014, carloads are down 3.4 percent at 503,695, and intermodal is down 2.8 percent at 926,560 trailers and containers.